Interlocking sheet-metal piling.



No. 884,270. PATENTED APR. 7, 1908.

s. T. FIERO.

INTERLOGKING SHEET METAL PILING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1907 2 SHBETSSHEET 1.

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elf/22272345? No. 884,270. PATENTED'APR. 7, 1908.

. S. T. PIERO.

INTERLOGKING SHEET METALPILING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1907.

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SLATER T. FIERO, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

INTERLOCKING SIEET-METAL FILING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Application filed June 24, 1907. v Serial No. 380,458.

interlocking sheet metal piling, as generally used in the construction of abutments, piers, retaining walls, cofler dams and submarine structures.

The object of this invention is to provide a i novel reinforced interlocking piling that can bequickly assembled and easily manufactured, the piling being light and durable, rigid and comparatively inexpensive to pro.-

duce.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the invention is betterunderstood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more form to an eye-beam in cross section.

fully escribed, and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part- :the p ing from strong and durable metal having such qualifications as to render it adaptable to numerous structures, other than those above specified.

The piling will be considered principally in cross sectional contours, the-invention residing in the sha e and novel reinforcements by which a plura ity of pilings are connected-together, to produce a partition or wall of considerable rigidity capable of withstanding internal and external pressures. 7

The piling com rises a sheet 1 of a desired width and length aving headed or T-shaped edges 2, which in some instances may conconstructing the edges 2', I use such radii as to produce strong and durable T-shaped edges upon the sheet 1. Contiguous to the edges 2 of the sheet I provide reinforcing ribs 3 and intermediate ribs 4, said intermediate ribs being duplicated at suitable intervals according to the width of the sheet, for instance, in Fig. 3 I have illustrated two intermediate ribs 4. The ribs 3 and 4 are of a sufficient height and breadth as to insure rigidity and stability of the sheet 1; the fellets of such ribs being described upon radii conducive to overcome such stresses and strains as may be placed upon the ribs or upon the sheet 1.

To produce an interlocking piling from the sheet of metal .constructed in accordance with my invention, I use bracket-bars 5, which are riveted or otherwise secured to the sheets 1, as at 6, adjacent to the ribs 3,

whereby said ribs will form an angular seat or brace for the bracket-bars 5, the free edges of the brackets lying in a plane a proximately coincident with the face of the T-sha ed edges, but spaced therefrom, so that w en the bracket bars are properly secured to the sheet piling '1, longitudinally extending grooves 7 are formed along the edges of the sheet piling, said grooves being open-sided between the opposing projecting portions of the head 2 and the bracket 5, through which the shank portion 2 of the head 2 of a piling having a similar cross-sectional construction,

extends, the T-shaped edges being received within the groove 7, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

of the drawings, the relative sizes of the restricted opening between the opposing portions of the bracket and the T-shaped edge, preventing disengagement of the adjoining sheets exceptingby a relative longitudinal movement ofthe sheets. This arrangement of the sheet pilings and the bracket bars 5 permits of the interlocking of the T-shaped edges of two sheet pilings, said interlocking being provided by reason of the presence of the' bracket-bars 5 carried by the adjoining pilings, in a manner to form the groove havm a restricted o ening.

Tn Fig. 4 of t e drawings I have illustrated a modification of my invention, in which the brackets 5,instead of being separate for each of the edges of the i-ling, are formed integral, being connected y asheet piling 8 extending in parallel planes withthe piling 1, contactingwith the edges of the ribs 3 and 4 and being positioned by means of inwardly extending projecting portions 8 adjacent pilings with the bars.

which lie in rear of the ribs 3. The piling 8 is secured to the piling 1 by means of rivets or othersuitable securing devices, as at 9. In this form, it will be necessary to arrange iling 8 of one structure on the opposite si e of the piling 1 from that on which the similar piling is ocated on the adjacent iling 1. p

As will be seen, the ead 2 of each sheet provides two surfaces on the 0 posite sides of the shank 2*, against whici contact 13 made b the adjacent sheet, While the bracket 5 sug ies a third surface for this pur ose. It W1 therefore, be understood that I ave provided, in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a structure in which at least three separate and distinct points of opposing contact are provided between the adjoining sheets, said contact points forming a corresponding numberof barriers against a separation of the sheet in a lateral direction,

.thereby affording an equitable distribution of any strain which may be placed on the piling.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a double interlockin structure which may be employed as a modi cation of my invention.

In this construction two bracket-bars 5* are secured to the opposite sides of the sheet piling 1, as at 6. The bracket bars 5, in this form, are each headed to form T-shaped edges, so that when in position, said bars will provide headed ortions locatedon o 0- site sides of the hea ed portion 2 of the piling 1, the several headed. portions lying in approximately the same plane, and roviding, on opposite sides of the shank 2, a ongitudinally disposed groove 7, one of said grooves receiving the T-shaped edge 2 of an adjoining sheet iling, the other groove receiving the T-shaped head 10 of one of the bracket- I will thus be observed that the bracketars 5 are provided with T-shaped heads in lieu of the angular heads or edges of the bars 5, and in overlap ing the heads 10 and the edges 2 of the pi ings 1, I provide interlocking edges of sheet piling that cannot be possibly separated due to the stresses and strains exerted in any direction with respect to the adjoining sheets of piling.

In each of the construction shown, it will be seen that the planes of adjoining sheet ilings will not be coincident but will be paralel with each other, the variation depending upon the sizes of the T-shaped edges and the position of the open side of the groove or grooves -7. Hence, the pilings have the appearance of being in-staggered relation, but in parallel planes, so that pulling strains .placed thereon in a direction tending to separate the ad'acent pilings' will be opposed by the heads 0 the pi n and the a j acent ribs 3, said ribs forming aterally projecting portions which tend to distribute the strain.

. In summarizing the above description taken in connection with the drawings, it

will be a parent that I have devised sheet pilings which when properly assembled and constructed will produce durable interlocking units not easi y separated by shearing or similar stresses to which piling is ordinarily subjected.

. The invention can be considered figuratively speaking, as a reinforced eye-beam having its edge provided with brackets, the

edges of such eye-beams and brackets over lap ing adjoining eye-beams and brackets, an while I have herein illustrated straight sheetsof piling, I desire it to be understood that the sheets of pilings can be bent or formed to permit of their adaptation to curved structures or corners.

I reserve such other changes in the structural details, size and proportion as are permissible by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1'. Interlocking sheet metal piling comprising ,adjoining sheets of metal having T shaped edges, right angular disposed ribs carried by said sheets ad acent to said'edges, right angular disposed intermediate ribs car ried by said sheets, bracket bars secured to said sheets adjacent to the first mentioned ribs and bearing against said ribs, the edges of said bars alining with the T shaped edges of said sheets and having an interlocking engagement with the edges of the'adjoining sheet. iiling com;-

2. Interlocking sheet metal prising adjoining sheets of met having T shaped edges, right angularly disposed ribs arranged upon both sides of sald sheets, bracket bars secured to both sides of said sheets adjacent to. .some of said ribs, said bars having their edges alining With the T sha ed edges offsaid' sheets and interlocking wit the T-shaped edges of the adjoining sheets.

3. Interlocking sheet metal pilin comprising adjoining sheets of metal aving overlapping T shaped edges, longitudinally dispose ribs carried by the sides'of said sheets adjacent to said edges, longitudinally disposed intermediate'ribs carried by the sides of said sheets, longitudinally dis osed bracket bars securedto said sheets am having portions interlocking with the edges of the adjoining sheet.

4. Interlocking sheet metal piling comprising adjoining sheets of metal ha overapping T shaped edges, lon'gitudina y (liS- posed ribs ,carried by said sheets of metal, some of said ribs being. located in close proximity to said overlapping euges, bracket bars secured to said sheets -of,metal and having edges alinin with theT. shaped overlapping edges ofsai sheets. I I a 5. Sheet metakpiling comprising adjoining I i sheets of metal having T shaped oyprlapping.

' adjoining edges, longitudinally disposed ribs carried by the sides of-said sheets of metal, bracket bars secured to the sides of said sheets of metal and engaging one of the sides of the T shaped overlapping edges of said sheets.

6. Sheet metal piling comprising adjoining sheets of metal having T shaped edges, ribs longitudinally disposed upon the sides of said sheets, the ribs upon one side of the sheets alining with the ribs upon the opposite side, bracket bars secured to the sides of said sheets and engaging one of the sides of the T shaped edges of the adjoining sheet.

7. Sheet metal piling comprising adjoining sheets of metal having T shaped edges, longitudinally disposedribs carried by the sides of said sheets, an angle bar secured to one side of one of the sheets and engaging the T shaped edges of the adjoining sheet, and an angle bar secured to the opposite side of the adjoining sheet of -metal and engaging the opposite side of the T shaped edge of first mentioned sheet.

8. Sheet metal piling comprising adjoining metallic sheets having T shaped edges, ribs carried by said sheets adjacent to said edges, intermediate ribs carried by' said sheets, and angle bars secured to said sheets and engaging said T shaped edges of said sheets.

9. Sheet metal piling comprising metallic sheets having longitudinally disposed T shaped edges, longitudinally disposed ribs carried by the sides of said sheets, and longitudinally disposed bracket bars carried by said. metallic sheets, said bars and T-shaped edges providing grooves to'receive the T- shaped edge of the adjoining sheet.

10. Sheet metal piling comprising metallic sheets having T shaped edges, ribs carried by said sheets, and bracket bars carried by said sheets, said bars and T-shaped edges providing grooves adapted to receive the T-shaped edges of an adjoining sheet.

11. Sheet metal piling comprising adjoining metallic sheets having longitudinaily disposed T shaped edges, ribs carried by the sides of said sheets, longitudinally disposed bracket bars carried by the sides of said sheets for interlocking the T shaped edges of said sheets.

12. The combination of adjoining reinforced metallic sheets having T shapededges, and bracket bars carried by. said sheets for interlocking the edges of said adjoining metallic sheets.

13. The combination of adjoining reinforced metallic sheets having abutting edges, and bracket bars carried by said sheets for interlocking the edges thereof.

14. A sheet metal piling comprising a metallic sheet having T shaped longitudinally disposed edges, longitudinally disposed ribs carried by the sides of said metallic sheets, and longitudinally disposed bracketbars carried by said sheet adjacent to some of said ribs, said bracket bars having edges alining "carried by said metallic sheet.

17. A sheet metal piling comprising a reinforced metallic sheet having longitudinally disposed T shaped edges, and longitudinally disposed bracket bars carried by'one side of said sheet.

18. A sheet metal piling comprising a reinforced metallic sheet having an open-sided longitudinally-exten'ding groove formed at its edges, the open side of each groove being of less width than the width of the groove and located on a plane at one side of and parallel with the plane of the main portion of the sheet and intermediate the planes of the opposing walls of the groove, the groove extending on opposite sides of the planes of the walls of the open side of the groove.

19. A sheet metal piling comprising a reinforced metallic sheet having an open sided longitudinally extending groove formed at its edges, the opposing side walls of the groove being in arallel planes, the open side of each groove eing of less width than the width of the groove and located on a plane at walls of the open side of the groove being parallel with and spaced from the planes of the side walls of the groove.

20. Interlocking sheet piling com rising metallic sheets having their slde e ges of similar configuration, the side edge of one sheet being interlockable with the side edge of the adjacent sheet, the ed e of each sheet having an open sided lon itu inally-disposed groove, the opposing wal s of which extend in parallel planes.

21. Interlocking sheet piling comprising metallic sheets having their side edges of similar configuration, the side edges of one sheet being interlockable with the side edge of the adjacent sheet, the ed e of each sheet having an open-sided longitu inally disposed groove, the op osing side walls of which extend in aralle planes, the 0 en side of the groove, eing located interme iate the planes of the side walls of the groove.

22. Interlocking sheet piling comprising metallic sheets having their side edges of similar configuration, the side edge of one sheet, being interlockable with the side ed e'of the adjacent sheet, the edge of each sheet avinga longitudinally-dis osed groove, the opposing side walls of which extend inparallel planes,

the forward continuation of the side walls being bent toward each other, said walls being of a combined length lesstha-n the distance between the said side walls of the roove to form an open. side for the groove I ocated intermediate the planes of the side -walls of the groove.

23. Sheet metal piling comprising-independent metallic sheets mutually interlocked at their abutting edges, the interlocking sheets having more than two separate points of opposing contact, said contact points forming a corresponding number of arriers against a separation of the sheets in a lateral direction.

24. Sheet'metal piling comprising indeendent metallic sheets mutually interocked at their abutting edges, the interlocked sheets having three separate points of opposing contact, said contact points forming a corresponding number of barriers against a separation of the sheets in a lateral direction.

25. Sheetflmetal piling comprising indeendent metallic sheets mutually interocked at their abutting edges, the interlocked sheets having three separate points of opposing contact, said contact points forming a corresponding number of barriers against a separation of thesheets in a lateral direction, two of these points being adjacent to and on rmposite sides of the plane of the sheet.

'26. Sheet metal piling comprising indeendent metallic sheets mutually interocked at their abutting edges, the interlocked sheets having more than two separate points of opposing contact, two of these points being equidistant from and on opposite sides of the plane of each sheet.

27. Sheet metal. piling comprising indeedges, the interlocked sheets having more than two points of op osing contacts on the sides of the planes of the sheets, said contact points being separate from one another and forming a corresponding number of barriers against a separation of the sheets in a lateral direction.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SLATER T. FIERO Witnesses:

MAX H. SROLOVITZ, FAY CHAMBERLAIN. 

